Made in Canada: The Top Brands from Canada Travellers Need to Know

Buying local from home-grown businesses is a great way to support any destination you travel to. If you are planning a Canada holiday, why not do the same and show some local brands a bit of love? There are a wide range of fantastic brands from Canada that you can shop with for gifts, mementoes, and awesome products to enjoy while you travel.

Discover some of the best brands from Canada in this guide and support local businesses during your holiday.

• Roots
• East Coast Lifestyle
• Lululemon

Roots

Founded in Toronto in 1973, and inspired by the nearby wilderness of Algonquin Provincial Park, this premium outdoor lifestyle brand is famed for embodying a comfortable cabin-meets-city style.

With the idea for this clothing brand from Canada being imagined in a little cabin in Algonquin by founders Michael Budman and Don Green, Roots has since grown in popularity and grown exponentially. The leather goods and clothes are made in a factory in Toronto, Ontario, and their huge expansion means they have over 120 stores across North America, more than 110 internationally, and they offer online shopping to over 70 countries.

When you are going on holiday to Canada, you can find Roots stores in all the major cities, such as Toronto, Vancouver, Montréal, and Québec City.

East Coast Lifestyle

Started back in March 2013 by Alex MacLean, a senior Business student at Acadia University, East Coast Lifestyle is a clothing brand that highlights being proud of where you are from. The clothing brand was established in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People.

Today, the brand has stores in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, but their hoodies, t-shirts, caps, trousers and shorts are also stocked in shops across Alberta, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

If you are planning to go on holiday to any of these provinces during your Canada holiday, then the clothes from East Coast Lifestyle will make for a great gift to bring home with you.

Lululemon

Lululemon is a global leader in athletic apparel, and it is the perfect shop to pick up running, gym, and yoga wear.

The fashion brand opened their first retail space in a local yoga studio in Kitsilano, but in 2000, Lululemon opened its first official store in Vancouver. Now, they have become one of the most well-known Canadian clothing brands with stores across the country and in many countries across the world.

If you are planning to go hiking and need some comfortable shorts, leggings, or joggers, then head to a store near you. You can also purchase hoodies, bottoms, shoes, coats and jackets.

ALSO READ: What is Vancouver famous for?

• Arc’teryx
• Canada Goose
• MEC (Mountain Equipment Company)
• Kamik

Arc’teryx

Arc’teryx is a Canadian company specialising in outdoor apparel and gear perfect for hiking in Canada’s majestic outdoor locations, such as the Canadian Rockies.

Arc’teryx has its headquarters in Vancouver and has shops across the country. The brand is not just for outdoor enthusiasts; it is also very popular among those who enjoy wearing outdoor apparel in urban settings.

Check out their coats, hats, hoodies, and boots during your holiday to explore Canada’s great outdoors while repping this homegrown brand.

Canada Goose

Canada Goose is one of the country's biggest brands, with its influence stretching far beyond Canada’s borders. Canada Goose specialises in luxury winter outerwear. As a result, their stylish attire is perfect for winter holidays to destinations like Banff and Yukon.

The company is based in Toronto but has stores nationwide. If you are in the market for some uber-stylish winter wear or want to treat yourself to a great gift, Canada Goose is the brand to choose.

Visit one of their stores before exploring Canada’s rugged outdoor destinations like Alberta and British Columbia.

ALSO READ: 5 Ways to Experience Vancouver’s Great Outdoors

MEC (Mountain Equipment Company)

MEC (Mountain Equipment Company) may be best compared to Cotswold Outdoors for UK shoppers. They specialise in high-quality outdoor gear from popular brands. Whether you are interested in hiking, biking, camping or climbing, MEC has you covered.

They are based out of Vancouver and have over 20 stores nationwide. They describe themselves as “The place Canadians trust for outdoor advice.” If you want to grab anything for your Canada motorhome holiday or wildlife trip, MEC is a good retailer to check out during your travels.

Kamik

For a great Canadian company that puts the environment front and centre, look no further than Kamik. This brand specialises in sustainable boots for all ages that are both fashionable and functional.

Kamik’s footwear is designed locally using eco-friendly materials to be worn in every season, no matter what the Canadian weather has to offer. By shopping with Kamik during your travels, you can support a proudly Canadian company with over 125 years of expertise.

• Red Road Clothing
• Sequoia
• Mother Earth Essentials

Red Road Clothing

This is a 100% Indigenous-owned clothing firm that started as a fundraiser to give Crissy Slater, the founder of the brand, money towards funding her daughter’s travels to Italy.

The popularity of the traditional-inspired designs has meant that it has become a full-time business, and it has continued to increase in popularity across North America.

Red Road Clothing has hoodies and t-shirts in their range, and they all represent different stories and have different meanings. Their Under the Moon hoodie, for example, honours missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

The retailer is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, so we recommend dropping in if you’re visiting the area. They also have an online store where you can purchase their variety of clothes.

Sequoia

Sequoia was founded in 2002, and it is a beauty brand that is 100% owned and operated by Indigenous women. The brand's motto is ‘inspired by Native legends and ingredients’ as Sequoia prides itself on incorporating traditional medicines in their handmade soaps, candles, bath bombs and more.

All of the products that they sell are made in Canada and the flagship store for Sequoia is located in Kahnawake, Quebec. There are stores located across the country that sell their products, ranging from Alberta and British Columbia to Saskatchewan and the Yukon.

By buying one of Sequoia’s products, you will be supporting an Indigenous company where all of the products are locally made.

Mother Earth Essentials

Mother Earth Essentials has been a favourite for gift-giving amongst Indigenous peoples for years as the brand focuses on traditional Cree teachings and medicines.

There are a variety of products, including aromatherapy, handmade soaps, and even haircare that you can purchase. The ingredients that are used in the products sold are all said to have a specific meaning or purpose.

During your holiday, you can check out the variety of products at their store in Edmonton.

ALSO READ: Discover Canada’s diverse First Nations cultures

• Hutchinson Acres
• Tim Hortons
• Lupo
• Inniskillin
• Chapel Cove Chocolate
• Algonquin Tea

Hutchinson Acres

You can’t say you’ve truly visited Canada without trying its iconic maple syrup. At Hutchinson Acres, which is located in the beautiful Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, you can try their renowned product.

They have become one of Canada’s premier, family-owned maple syrup producers and the largest Certified Organic maple producer in Nova Scotia. Across their 900-acre site, 60,000 taps produce more than 75,000 litres of maple syrup every year.

If you are visiting Nova Scotia, visit Hutchinson Acres and try their maple syrup as well as their PURE Infused maple syrup product line.

Tim Hortons

As Canada’s most famous coffee and doughnut chain, Tim Hortons is a must-try for visitors. The coffeehouse chain was founded by Tim Horton, a former NHL player, in 1964.

Tim Hortons is Canada's largest quick-service restaurant chain, with more than five million cups of coffee estimated to be served every day. Around 80% of Canadians visit Tim Hortons at least once a month.

Tim Horton’s is known for Original Blend coffee, Double-Double coffees, Doughnuts, and Timbits, and with stores across Canada, there will be plenty of opportunity for you to visit one during your trip.

ALSO READ: A guide to Canadian Food

Lupo

Banff is famed for being nestled in the Rocky Mountains and for being surrounded by stunning mountainous scenery. It also has a vibrant food scene, and one must-visit restaurant is Lupo, whose head chef is the Canadian Justin Leboe.

This Italian restaurant features patios with mountain views and private dining spaces, but the food it serves is the real reason to visit. You can have a range of pizzas and pasta dishes, such as spicy rigatoni alla vodka and rigatoni carbonara, to name just a few. You can also enjoy foods like potato-crusted Atlantic cod and herb-crusted beef tenderloin.

Lupo is regarded as one of the best restaurants in Banff and is well-known for its great atmosphere. So, if you want to recharge your batteries and enjoy some great food after a long hike in Banff National Park, Lupo is one place to consider eating.

Inniskillin

Canada produces some of the finest wines in the world, but a type of wine you should try if you are looking to visit Niagara Falls is Icewine.

Inniskillin is one of the best wineries to visit, as it has been credited with putting Canadian Icewine on the international map and for serving some of the best Icewine in the world, having won Gold and Best in Class awards at international competitions throughout Europe, Australia and North America.

The estate features several restored and redesigned historic buildings, including the Brae Burn Barn, circa 1920. You can go on a guided tour of this winery to learn how the award-winning Icewine is produced.

ALSO READ: Wineries of Canada: top 7 in the country

Chapel Cove Chocolate

Located close to the iconic Melmerby Beach in Pictou County, Chapel Cove Chocolate is a perfect place to stop at for anyone with a sweet tooth.

They make interesting chocolates with a maritime theme linked to Nova Scotia, and what separates them from many other chocolatiers is that they offer a whole host of chocolates for people with dietary restrictions.

Chapel Cove Chocolate products are regularly available throughout Pictou County, at the Masstown Creamery, and across half of Nova Scotia seasonally.

Algonquin Tea

If you are a tea lover, then Algonquin Tea should certainly be on your bucket list of places to try and visit as they sell a range of herbal and caffeinated teas.

All of their teas are natural and wild-grown. In fact, they are so committed to providing authentically Canadian ingredients that their tea leaves are hand-picked in the wilderness. They have a variety of teas with magical names like Sacred Blend and Sweetfern Tonic, and they offer affordable loose tea and tea bags in different sizes.

Algonquin Tea is also proud to have a big support network from Indigenous peoples and they support the brilliant Canadian artists involved in their packaging by including the artists name on each box. Further still, all the herbs they use in the products grow naturally in Algonquin Park itself.

You will find that their teas are stocked in stores across the country, from Vancouver to Toronto and around Algonquin Provincial Park.

• BKIND
• Attitude
• Nova Scotia Fisherman

BKIND

BKIND is a Canadian skincare brand that offers all-natural, plant-based, eco-friendly skin care products made in Québec. If you are the kind of person that wants to ensure your beauty products are as kind to your skin as they are to the planet, BKIND is well worth checking out.

Whether you are on the hunt for a self-care treat or a thoughtful souvenir, BKIND’s sustainable and cruelty-free products are the perfect choice. Try their range of skin-nourishing products while exploring Canada to help you look and feel great during your journey.

Attitude

Attitude is a Canada-based company offering natural personal care and household products. The brand creates skincare and beauty products aimed at promoting healthy living.

Made from sustainable ingredients, their cosmetic collection includes the likes of mineral sunscreens and body lotions. Their products are made from natural ingredients and free from chemicals.

During your travels, pick up some of their skincare essentials to support a homegrown brand from Canada that cares for your skin and the environment.

Nova Scotia Fisherman

Family-run since 2014, Nova Scotia Fisherman is a fantastic Canadian brand based in rural Nova Scotia. For over a decade they have been creating some of Canada’s finest natural soaps and skin products, inspired by Nova Scotia’s rugged Atlantic coastline.

Their signature soaps and lotions feature local ingredients like sea kelp, which is known for its hydrating properties. Check out their products if you want to bring home a piece of Canada’s maritime provinces and battle dry skin in the process.

ALSO READ: What is Nova Scotia famous for?

• Pyrrha
• Mariclaro

Pyrrha

Pyrrha is a jewellery brand based in Vancouver. In this stunning city, their amazing collection is handcrafted from start to finish in a zero-carbon studio. Pyrrha’s jewellery is cast exclusively in 100% recycled precious metals and they are certified carbon neutral.

A stylish piece of Canadian jewellery can make for a fantastic gift for a loved one back home or as a memento of your travels in Canada. Pyrrha also offers engraving for an extra personal touch.

Mariclaro

Mariclaro is an innovative Canadian brand that creates stylish bags from recycled materials repurposed from vintage car interiors, aircraft, and landfill-diverted leather. All their items are handmade in Canada in their Ontario studio, which is dedicated to high-quality, sustainable production with ingenious designs.

If you want a new bag to explore the country with while supporting a local business and the environment, Mariclaro is definitely a brand to check out during your time in Canada.

Travel to Canada, buy local

As you can see, there are some fantastic local brands from Canada to support during your travels. Whether you're gearing up for outdoor adventures, embracing eco-friendly skincare, or looking for stylish souvenirs, these homegrown Canadian brands offer something special to take home from your travels.

So, why not experience Canada first-hand? Here at Canadian Affair, we are the Canada travel experts and can tailor-make your dream holiday to Canada.

Get in touch today and remember to support Canada’s local brands during your visit.